New Delhi, Delhi, 13th of March, 2026 : For almost two decades now, Global Capability Centres have been largely identified with technology-driven organisations, financial services, and other IT-driven organisations. The identification of Global Capability Centres was largely driven by the need for software development, data management, and digital services for global headquarters. However, what is now changing is the face of Global Capability Centres. A new round of investments is now coming from traditional industries that have traditionally been outside the technology domain. Manufacturing, retail, healthcare, energy, consumer goods companies are increasingly investing in Global Capability Centres for managing their global operations.
The changing face of Global Capability Centres is also a reflection of a broader structural shift that is occurring in the way multinational corporations are managing their global operations. As industries are becoming increasingly digital and data-driven, corporations are recognising that technology is no longer a peripheral function but an essential part of their business strategy. Global Capability Centres are no longer just about managing IT operations but about managing analytics platforms, intelligent supply chains, digital products, and complex global processes. In many cases, Global Capability Centres are becoming strategic business hubs.
Manufacturing and automobile industries have been the early adopters of the model. Global corporations, including Bosch and Mercedes-Benz, have established large engineering and research hubs in the country, which are engaged in the development of the latest mobility solutions, embedded systems, digital manufacturing platforms, etc. The hubs are not just satellite offices of the parent company, as they are playing a pivotal role in the development of the latest solutions, which are used globally.
Retail and consumer-oriented industries are increasingly embracing the GCC model for managing their highly evolving digital landscape. Retail giants, including Walmart and Target, have established major hubs for managing their e-commerce platforms, customer engagement through digital solutions, etc. The retail industry is increasingly embracing digital solutions, which makes the GCC model a necessity for the industry to maintain its competitiveness globally.
Healthcare and life science industries are also expanding their footprint within the GCC model. Companies, including Novartis and Roche, are using the GCC model for supporting their clinical data analysis, drug discovery processes, etc. With the growing role of data and artificial intelligence in medical research and healthcare delivery, these capability centres are becoming critical engines of innovation within the pharmaceutical sector.
India has organically developed into a preferred location for many of these industry-led GCCs. Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune are some of the locations that have a high concentration of engineering skills, IT skills, and domain skills in a variety of industries. However, the most important factor is the country’s capability to deliver scale, operational maturity, and a collaborative innovation model to global companies to develop strategic capabilities.
Though the IT and IT-enabled services segment still dominates the GCC landscape by contributing to around 49% of the overall GCCs, the healthcare, manufacturing, engineering, and consulting segments are rapidly expanding their footprint. This demonstrates the overall diversification of the GCCs.
Alouk Kumar CEO & MD, Inductus Groupstated“For years, Global Capability Centres were largely associated with technology and financial services companies. What we are now witnessing is a broader industry shift, with sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, retail, and energy increasingly adopting the GCC model. These centres are evolving beyond IT support to become strategic hubs for innovation, digital transformation, and global operations.” However, the emergence of non-tech company GCCs may redefine the global capability centre ecosystem. With the increasing adoption of digital transformation across industries, GCCs are likely to emerge as a model where industry skills, data sciences, and technology converge. This demonstrates the GCCs of the future are not likely to be defined by technology companies alone. In many ways, this next phase may represent the most significant expansion of the GCC model yet, marking a shift from technology-led capability centres to truly industry-driven global innovation hub
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